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 A free e-bulletin spotlighting innovations in leadership, management, and organizational development. Please forward to your colleagues. 
June 19, 2001 Issue 13 |
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FROM
THE FIELD Failed Alliances Linked to Bad Relationships |
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FACE
TO FACE Closing the Achievement Gap: An Interview with Belinda Williams |
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FROM
THE RESOURCE SHELF Flawed Advice and the Management Trap: How Managers Can Know When They're Getting Good Advice and When They're Not by Chris Argyris |
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FROM
THE FIELD |
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FACE
TO FACE Closing the Achievement Gap: An Interview with Belinda Williams by Kali Saposnick  For
at least 20 years, an urban American elementary school teacher taught
her students about animals by taking them to the zoo and asking them
to write about the experience. Although she noticed that only some
children responded enthusiastically to the writing assignment, she
continued to use the same lesson. Then she discovered new information
about human development, which suggests that environment and culture
play a critical role in how children learn, so she decided to experiment.
This time, she asked the class to write about how they would have
to change their homes in order to bring an animal from the zoo to
live with them. Suddenly, all of the kids' eyes lit up and they eagerly
tackled the task. Why did more children become engaged in the activity once the teacher personalized it? According to psychologist Belinda Williams, "For some kids, writing about the animals is enough; others need to give their experience more meaning—especially those who are socio-economically disadvantaged." For the last 30 years, Williams has been trying to broaden educators' knowledge about how children learn in order to close the achievement gap between diverse populations in academic settings. Her work focuses on expanding our understanding of human development beyond traditional theories, such as Jean Piaget's idea that most children grasp knowledge in developmental stages from concrete to abstract. Her findings suggest that "in addition to psychology, there are at least two other knowledge bases—the neurosciences and sociology—that are equally and arguably more important for understanding learning and teaching." Continued Readers who wish to discuss this topic are invited to the Education Roundtable. |
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FROM
THE RESOURCE SHELF Flawed Advice and the Management Trap: How Managers Can Know When They're Getting Good Advice and When They're Not by Chris Argyris by Janice Molloy If you're wondering whether you're receiving constructive advice from change professionals, Chris Argyris's book can provide you with pointers for assessing different approaches. In his evaluation of the efficacy of organizational change literature and practices, the author reports that most advice "does not work. . . . It is simply too full of abstract claims, inconsistencies, and logical gaps to be useful as a concrete basis for concrete actions in concrete settings." To support this contention, Argyris uses examples from best-selling management books to reveal contradictions in what change leaders propose and what they actually do. The "do as I say not as I do" mentality is part of what Argyris calls the "Model I" framework, in which people unknowingly resort to less productive modes of behavior—for example, seeking to be in control, withholding thoughts and feelings—when faced with potentially embarrassing or threatening situations. This behavior leads to self- perpetuating "defensive routines" that create mistrust, distorted feedback, and long-term ineffectiveness. The author introduces an alternative theory of action called "Model II," which produces lasting change because it requires modifying not only how we act but also how we think. A Model II approach includes demonstrating consistency in words and deeds, surfacing undiscussables, and supporting democratic participation. Argyris says we can tell a change program is actionable if the experts behave "in ways that are illustrated, encourage inquiry, and are easily tested." And regardless of the specific methodology we use, he believes that by overcoming self-censorship, testing our assumptions, and ensuring that we are doing what we say, we can finally effect real, sustainable change. Read the complete article or see LEVERAGE No. 43 (July 2000). Readers who wish to discuss this topic are invited to the The New Workplace Forum. |
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| Copyright 2001 Pegasus Communications. LEVERAGE POINTS™ can be freely distributed in its entirety or reproduced or excerpted for another publication with written permission from Pegasus Communications. Contact permissions@pegasuscom.com. | ||||||||||||||||
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"Good
leaders make people feel that they're at the very
heart of things, not at the periphery. Everyone
feels that he or she makes a difference to the
success of the organization. When that happens
people feel centered and that gives their work
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We're
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These
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